Adelaide Festival Centre has announced that Adelaide Guitar Festival will become an annual event and reach more regional communities than ever before in 2021. Adelaide Guitar Festival 2021 will present an exciting line-up of ticketed shows at Adelaide Festival Centre venues during its official dates of 4 – 25 July.
The festival previously presented a full program every two years, with the first held in 2007, and has since grown to be the most significant guitar festival in the Southern Hemisphere.
“‘I’m so overjoyed that after years of expanding our programs, including increasing activity in our years between official Adelaide Guitar Festival dates, we have reached the point where we can program this jewel of a festival annually!” said Adelaide Guitar Festival Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan.
“With our winter schools, competitions, community events, regional performances and of course our flagship performances back at the Festival Centre, 2021 will mark a new era in our continued celebration of this beloved instrument. We are all absolutely ecstatic that we can build on inspiring and connecting with so many people across SA on an annual basis.”
From February onwards, the On The Road program will see regional and community-based events delivered across South Australia. The program will reach audiences in Lobethal, Kangaroo Island, Mount Compass, Goolwa, Yorke Peninsula, Strathalbyn, Auburn, Mintaro, Riverton, Port Augusta and Eyre Peninsula – making Adelaide Guitar Festival the state’s most widespread curated music festival.
Adelaide Guitar Festival’s popular music and well-being program Resonance, educational workshops, activations and community concerts will also travel to regional communities, reaching audiences with limited access to live music experiences.
In Adelaide, the festival’s well-attended Hidden Hindmarsh event will return on Sunday 14 February following the success of last year’s inaugural event, which saw local musicians perform in venues ranging from bars to barbers and florists.
“Adelaide Festival Centre is delighted to present an annual Adelaide Guitar Festival program which combines world-class musicians and performers with eye-opening activations across South Australia,” said Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM.
“Expanding our On The Road tour to include a record number of regional towns is an excellent way for us to collaborate and connect with even more South Australians while supporting local musicians.”
“We also look forward to welcoming everyone back to Adelaide Festival Centre venues for a stellar line-up of guitarists across a wide range of genres in July next year and thank our loyal audiences for their ongoing support,” said Mr Gautier.
Adelaide Guitar Festival Winter School will return, bringing together some of Australia’s finest guitar players to present an intensive program of tuition across two separate streams of blues & roots and classical genres for all ages and skill levels.
Expressions of interest are now open for the celebrated Adelaide International Classical Guitar Competition for 2021, with more information available online. First prize is $10,000 along with a handcrafted guitar by South Australian Master Luthier Jim Redgate, valued at $23,000, and an invitation to perform at the next Adelaide Guitar Festival.
The full program for Adelaide Guitar Festival 2021 will be launched next year. For more information and to register for email updates, visit: www.adelaideguitarfestival.com.au for details.
Image: Slava Grigoryan – photo by Nate Schilling